The lead-in for this recipe in its originally published version started off by complaining about having a nearly full bottle of amaretto after only needing a tablespoon of it for a butter cookie recipe. And they didn’t know what to do with the rest of it. Obviously, the writer of that particular article had not yet discovered this blog!

Amaretto is a popular liqueur in our house and I make a number of cocktails with it, including the new one below. But we also use it in Amaretto Chicken, a dish my Mom made often. She shared with the rest of the family because we all loved it and asked for the recipe. Amaretto also plays a significant role in a decadent & indulgent ginger & almond chocolate truffle tart that we love. (Especially around the upcoming Valentine’s Day!)

Amaretto is and Italian digestif from Saronna, a town in northern Italy. The name translates to ‘a little bitter’. While Amaretto may be a tad bitter, what mainly comes through is its sweet side. Here, it is mixed with some lemon juice, then topped off with sparkling wine, for a riff on the classic Amaretto Sour. Enjoy!

Sparkling Amaretto Sour Cocktail

Sparkling Amaretto Sour Cocktail (adapted from realsimple.com)

Total Time Required: 5 minutes, Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 ounces Amaretto liqueur
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 4 ounces sparkling wine
• orange slice for garnish
• maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions:

Pour the Amaretto, simple syrup, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice.

Add the amaretto, simple syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.

Shake for 1 minute, then strain into a rocks glass half filled with ice.

Pour the mixture into a rocks glass.

Add the sparkling wine and gently stir to combine.

Add the sparkling wine to the cocktail.

Garnish the cocktail with an orange slice and a cherry. Serve.

Garnish with orange slices and maraschino cherries, if desired, before serving.

Amaretto does not last long or go to waste around here!  ~Linda

Sparkling Amaretto Sour Cocktail (adapted from realsimple.com) Total Time Required: 5 minutes, Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 ounces Amaretto liqueur
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 4 ounces sparkling wine
• orange slice and/or maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions:

Pour the Amaretto, simple syrup, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake for 1 minute, then strain into a rocks glass half filled with ice. Add the sparkling wine and gently stir to combine. Garnish the cocktail with an orange slice and a cherry. Serve.